Tuesday, April 7, 2009

1973 and all that.

Our Garden is coming to life -Apple Blossom on our Fuji apple tree

Tulips

I’m back! At long last.

I thought I was going to get through flu season unscathed this year, but it wasn’t to be. I didn’t have flu, but I did have one stinker of a cold. To make matters worse, I had a story to write for Oklahoma Living Magazine about a local botanical garden, and if the illness wasn’t enough to thwart me, the weather had to conspire against me as well. Every time I would arrange an interview and a visit to the gardens there would be a thunderstorm, or a snowstorm, or freezing conditions, and it would have to be postponed. I had a few hairy moments when I thought this story would never get done, but I just snuck in under the wire. Oh hum.

More tulips

Also, early last year, I wrote a piece about my local vet who has volunteered his services in the Iditerod, that great Alaskan dog race, on four occasions. At the time I couldn’t provide a link to it as it wasn’t a feature story, but it has finally appeared in the archives. Even so, I can’t give a direct link, you’ll need to scroll through to pages 40-41 to read it, but if you’re interested you can find it here: http://www.ok-living.coop/media/February08.pdf

A dog sled team crossing the frozen Yukon River

Anyway, the dental problems are gradually getting sorted, at great expense I hasten to add. And I did have to cancel my last appointment because of my bad cold, but I am hoping that the next appointment may be the last, for a while at least.

I’m still doing well with the no smoking, it’s been just over 5 weeks now. Yay! I won’t say I don’t miss the ciggies, because I still do. Though I am now able to go for quite long periods without thinking about them. The worst times are still when I am writing under pressure of a deadline, then I could absolutely murder one. I was as grumpy as hell this past weekend, so I kicked Mick, and shouted at the cats. :-) Oh well, nobody said it was going to be easy.

Speaking of smoking, that reminds me of a fantastic British detective series I watched quite recently called Life on Mars. In it the main protagonist, a young detective, is involved in a car accident and finds himself transported back to 1973. He doesn’t know whether he’s dead, in a coma, or mad. To him, 1973 feels like being on another planet, hence the title. Anyway, my point is, what really strikes you about the program is the fact that everyone smokes, and a permanent fog of smoke hangs over every room in the police station.

It also got me thinking about 1973, because back then I hadn’t yet taken up with the evil weed, in fact I despised smoking, probably because both my parents smoked. It also brought back other memories of 1973, but more of that next time. If you were around in 1973, what were you doing back then?

8 comments:

Hi Jan, good to see you back and congrats on the 5 week no-smoking. It's tough I know but hang in there, it will eventually get better I promise. 1973? I was 23 years old and saving every penny I had to buy an old car and go on a skiing holiday to Austria with a group of friends. I was working at a local health clinic typing case notes for a child psychiatrist. Smoking like a chimney pot and hiding it. Both parents smoked but they hated the idea of me smoking and I could never understand back then why they gave me such a hard time because everyone we knew - relatives/friends - smoked and I was inhaling second hand stuff anyhow. My mother's health eventually suffered dreadfully and that's why I quit because it was too heartbreaking to see the effects it had on her and it was scary. So hang in there my dear, you are going to reap the rewards in all directions. Glad to see you posting again and colds are no fun, I had the longest one I ever had back in December/January.

Hi Janet, it is great to see you back. We love LOVE that series on BBC America, although the American version leaves us a bit cold. The British version really does try to capture that time in history a bit better. Plus my husband loves that Cortina.

In 1973, I was a sophomore in high school. Attending OKC public schools during the middle of their desegregation efforts. Race riots of various degrees. Learning to drive a car. Cruising SW 59th Street, our main drag. Looking cute in my bell bottom jeans and halter tops.

Keep up with the no-smoking. Very important. If it helps not getting sick later in life, it is worth it.

The dangers we face while being under pressure, wow. The dangers we face while undergoing surgery, such a heartache. There are plenty of things that can lead to bad health. With knowing this, I think that no matter what age you are at, waking up that extra hour early in the morning or making time throughout your day to run a mile or two really helps your body in the long run if you know what I mean. There are soo many diseases and things that we need to stay away from, and with maintaining our bodies we increase our chances of ensuring ourselves from staying away from anything harmful. Thus, having Everything else work perfect :)

Hang in there!! Congrats on your 5th week of non- smoking!! I was a smoker before too! Yes, indeed, it all started with the stress in nurse college! But after that I quit for my boyfriend, now my husband.

In 1973 I wasn't even born. I was born in april 1976.Many rainy greetings from Brussels, Belgium!